Cessna 150H accident near Clovis, New Mexico, May 20, 1985
On May 20, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N50011, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico (Clovis Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · Clovis Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N50011 · registry record · serial 15069008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER OF THE ACFT HAD NOT FLOWN RECENTLY, SO HE GOT AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) TO ACCOMPANY HIM. THE OWNER PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT, DID A NORMAL RUN-UP & INITIATED A TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENG BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY RUN ROUGH. IT THEN QUIT ALTOGETHER & A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN MUDDY FIELD. WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LOWERED TO THE GROUND, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENG REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SHUT-OFF HANDLE WAS IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. BOTH PLTS REPORTED THAT THEY HAD NOT TOUCHED THE FUEL SHUT-OFF HANDLE EITHER DURING OR AFTER THE FLT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 125 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from CVS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.